Freeing the toys

January 03, 2007|By CHRISTINE SCHIRATO

We searched malls toy stores and at least four different Wal-Marts for our daughter. We fought holiday crowds, waited in unbelievably long lines and paid ridiculous prices for and endless amount of whoozits and whatzits that light up, count to 10 in four different languages and play Mozart, Bach and Beethoven's greatest hits.

Our families did the same, with endless phone calls to coordinate purchases so not to double up on anything. Hours were spent researching each toy for how educational, how fun and how safe they are. We took special care in wrapping these presents that were sure to please our kid who is becoming more active by the day. Loud paper and brightly colored bows hid these gadgets and gizmos until they were unwrapped

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

And then the real work began - at least for us, the parents. Each of the toys was secure in it its own maximum security cardboard prison covered in at least three rolls of industrial strength tape and several tubes of glue put there by manufacturers for whatever reason. Fort Knox is probably easier to access.

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Shrunken plastic encased each ball, each lion, tiger, bear. Even after you finally cut through the plastic that could probably stop a bullet, miles of devilish wire twisty ties lay ahead. And you can't twist in just one direction. No, that would be much too much too simple. You have to twist clockwise a few twists, then counterclockwise. Right, left, right, left, right, left until cramps run through your fingers and up your arms. When you finally get the wire untangled after impaling your hands and fingers on the sharp ends, somehow these ties are attached to the toys in tiny holes and crevices.

My husband and I sat there and cussed and cursed as we worked tirelessly to free each and every toy so our kid can enjoy them, learn from them and play with them.

And there she was across the room, perfectly content rolling around in a pile of bows and and ripped and crinkled wrapping paper.

To her, nothing was better than discovering the sound of the wrapping paper as she grasped it in her hands or the bright colors of the bows that reflected the tree's lights.

At some point, she probably will want to play with all of the toys she received, but for now, she is happy with simplicity.